The Chainlink

http://www.bcycle.com/bknowledge.aspx

Is it legal to ride a bike without a helmet?

Adults may legally ride a bike without a helmet everywhere in the United States, but B-cycle strongly recommends wearing a helmet whenever riding
a bicycle.

Er . . .no helmet laws?  I don't think so.

Does B-cycle provide helmets for riders?

No. There are hygiene and safety issues with shared helmet use. It is the responsibility of the rider to supply his or her own helmet. 

I'm sure they will all be carrying helmets with them.


What if a station is full and I need to find an empty dock to return a bike?

If you have a bike you wish to return, but there are no available docks at a station, you must locate a station with available docks and return
the bike there. The kiosk located at each station will provide real-time
information about which nearby stations have available docks. The
kiosks at full stations will also add 15 free minutes to your ride so
that you can take the bike to an open station without financial penalty.

That mad dash for the next station before the 15 minutes are up sounds like it could be rather thrilling.

What if the bike is stolen? Will I be financially responsible for the loss of the bike?

Contact Customer Service. Under the Terms and Conditions agreed to upon registering for membership, members may be liable up to a specified
limit if a bicycle is stolen or lost while under their care. Refer to
the Terms and Conditions posted on your system’s website.

A "specified limit." Ah well, who needs to know what they might be liable for upfront? I'm sure it will be a very reasonable amount, right? I mean, they're just simple bikes . . .

How does B-cycle calculate my miles ridden, etc.?

B-cycles are equipped with an internal GPS device that tracks the bike’s trips. Other technology associates each trip with the member who checked out
the bike. After this information is transferred to B-cycle’s computers,
algorithms translate the trip information into estimates of the number
of calories burned and carbon emissions avoided (as compared to the use
of an average automobile for the same trip). If there are technical
errors with the data collection or transfer, an estimate will be applied
and clearly noted as such.

Er . . . about that "specified limit" . . .








Views: 182

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

If the bike is stolen while in my care, don't hold me liable up to a specified limit. Just track it with the internal GPS device, call me and tell me where it is, and I will recover it and return it to a station. I will however probably need more than 15 minutes extension on my ride to do so...
LOL

Vando said:
If the bike is stolen while in my care, don't hold me liable up to a specified limit. Just track it with the internal GPS device, call me and tell me where it is, and I will recover it and return it to a station. I will however probably need more than 15 minutes extension on my ride to do so...
How long does anyone think these bcycles will stay secure? Please note it says "cable" not u-lock or any other type of lock, just a security cable.

Lock and Security Cable
You are charged for use of the B-cycle until you return
and secure it to a B-station. If you choose to park the
bike anywhere except a B-station, secure it with the
built-in security cable and lock. Wrap the cable around
a stationary object such as a bike rack (make sure
the cable cannot be lifted over the top, such as could
happen with a parking meter). Insert the cable into the
lock under the right side of the basket and turn the key
90 degrees. The key can then be removed, leaving the
cable end secured in the lock. Don’t lose the key.


Another thing to know before you Bcycle:

Responsibility in Case of Accident or Theft
If your B-cycle is damaged in any way while you are
renting it, you are responsible for the damage, including
theft. For this reason, you should ride carefully and always
secure a bike that is not in use; secure it in a B-station
or lock it with the provided security cable. Also, check
to see if your homeowner’s insurance covers rented items.
If your insurance does not currently cover your rental
of a B-cycle, your agent may be able to extend your policy
for additional protection.
A stolen bike will cost you $1000. That is in Denver, I couldn't find Chicago
Ouch! Might as well buy your own bike and security lock at that price, or hope your renters/homeowner's insurance covers bike rentals.

Duppie said:
A stolen bike will cost you $1000. That is in Denver, I couldn't find Chicago
This program is sounding like more of a failure each day.

Edit: I really want it to work, but I don't see how it will. Too few bikes in too few locations, and the locations chosen are mostly touristy. Throw in cable locks, making the renter responsible for the inevitable theft, etc. and I just don't see it taking off.
I really like the concept for this and I really do think it is a nice idea and all, but I am not sure how well this will go over in Chicago and wonder how many bikes will be stolen (considering it seems we have a rash of thefts of all types of bikes). All in all, I wish the program well as it is trying to get people cycling. I just have serious doubts about how well it will do here.

Joel said:
This program is sounding like more of a failure each day.
I was fairly dismissive of the bike sharing concept before I used the Velib extensively on a trip to Paris in '07.

I do think the situation there is different and find the scale of this project to be far less useful. I'm unfamiliar with the overall cost/funding and will not speculate if the money would be better spent elsewhere.

However: this is a positive baby step and will test the waters to some degree; and, should it fail, there are worse ways to waste $.

I saw the uninstalled and unguarded (scrappers!) workings of a future station today:

With no stations anywhere outside the downtown area, I don't see how this could possible work for the most likely users, commuters.
I know Parisians that use Velib every day for commuting, and they really like it. The difference is that the service is extensive enough that it integrates with most neighborhoods and transit stations so it is a viable option for getting around.

My fear is that if it doesn't work, the powers that be will hold it up as an idol saying that it cannot work in Chicago. I don't want one poor attempt to be used to prevent viable systems in the future.

T.C. O'Rourke said:
I was fairly dismissive of the bike sharing concept before I used the Velib extensively on a trip to Paris in '07.

I do think the situation there is different and find the scale of this project to be far less useful. I'm unfamiliar with the overall cost/funding and will not speculate if the money would be better spent elsewhere.

However: this is a positive baby step and will test the waters to some degree; and, should it fail, there are worse ways to waste $.

I saw the uninstalled and unguarded (scrappers!) workings of a future station today:

With all of the problems I support this idea and may even get a membership just to say I have one. And to cover the occasional terrible loss of bike incidents that happen from time to time.
Agree. Although it should be said that this program in it's present incarnation is nothing more than a subsidized bike rental-- Bike-N-Roll Chicago aka Bike Chicago aka that business that rents bikes and 4-seaters on the lakefront is basically running it, and there are failsafes built in to make the user financially liable for the replacement of any bikes that go missing. So-- what actually would be the criteria for failure? Non-use? I doubt we'll be hearing that people aren't using the bikes, since it would not be in Bike Chicago's interest to present the "program" as anything but successful, lest the juicy arrangement with the sponsoring corporations vanish whence it came.

Joel said:
I know Parisians that use Velib every day for commuting, and they really like it. The difference is that the service is extensive enough that it integrates with most neighborhoods and transit stations so it is a viable option for getting around.
My fear is that if it doesn't work, the powers that be will hold it up as an idol saying that it cannot work in Chicago. I don't want one poor attempt to be used to prevent viable systems in the future.
T.C. O'Rourke said:
I was fairly dismissive of the bike sharing concept before I used the Velib extensively on a trip to Paris in '07.

I do think the situation there is different and find the scale of this project to be far less useful. I'm unfamiliar with the overall cost/funding and will not speculate if the money would be better spent elsewhere. However: this is a positive baby step and will test the waters to some degree; and, should it fail, there are worse ways to waste $.

I saw the uninstalled and unguarded (scrappers!) workings of a future station today:

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service